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Suicide of Fort Worth Teen Turns Focus to Mental Health

PCS Bail Bonds observed the world’s mourning of the recent suicide of beloved comedian and actor Robin Williams. His tragic death triggered countless questions about the severity of mental health and depression in America and the role that played specifically in the passing of the Mrs. Doubtfire star.

Then this past Wednesday, August 27, the Fort Worth community felt the sting of those questions in their own backyard. The Tarrant County medical examiner’s office pronounced 17-year-old Katerin Romero dead after what Fort Worth police assessed as a suicide.

Romero left class late that morning, only to later jump off the Beach Street bridge and into oncoming Interstate 30 traffic. Her loved ones are left to wonder how and why this happened when Romero was described as a social girl who was a natural leader poised to have become the first from her family to go to college.

With classmates, friends and family all gathering for a candlelit vigil outside of Eastern Hills High School the day after Romero’s passing, they can only wait for more details of this tragedy to surface, no doubt questioning every recent interaction they had with the teen. While nothing can be assumed at this stage, Romero’s suicide again focuses the spotlight on mental health and depression.

The National Institute of Mental Health estimates that tens of millions of Americans are living with mental health issues, with only a fraction of that number getting treated. Much of the problem stems from the country not having the proper resources to adequately treat those suffering with variations of this disease. The current administration did pass a law requiring all private insurance plans to cover mental health, as it would any other type of medical care, but unfortunately, the law does nothing to make more resources available to gainfully treat individuals with mental health. It seems an entire system needs to be created to handle the number of people suffering—a system that doesn’t appear to be in place, or if it is, doesn’t appear able to effectively handle the volume of people with mental illness.

While PCS Bail Bonds is not making any assumptions about Romero, we are acknowledging how troubling it is that a “standout” student who was sociable and intelligent would take her own life at such short notice. It leads to the larger question of how to identify and reach those affected by this disease and how to educate the public so they are aware of some of the symptoms, which would hopefully lead to treatment at an earlier stage.

A lot of questions remain in the U.S. when it comes to mental health. As more information surrounding Romero’s psychological condition emerges, we at PCS Bail Bonds can only hope it leads to some answers that could eventually prevent a tragedy of this nature from ever happening again.

Paul Schuder

Paul Schuder is the owner of PCS Bail Bonds and Profession Court Services (PCS). He is a lifelong resident of the Dallas/Fort Worth area. Paul has over twenty years of courthouse experience, and has been in businesses involving the criminal justice system for his entire career. Paul has helped thousands of clients with their pursuit of justice and fair play. Mr. Schuder maintains high levels of respect with all the court house personnel, especially judges and attorneys. Using a close hands-on personal approach and a keen understanding of all cultures, helps people when they need it most. Add me to your G+

Author: Paul Schuder

Paul Schuder is the owner of PCS Bail Bonds and Profession Court Services (PCS). He is a lifelong resident of the Dallas/Fort Worth area. Paul has over twenty years of courthouse experience, and has been in businesses involving the criminal justice system for his entire career. Paul has helped thousands of clients with their pursuit of justice and fair play. Mr. Schuder maintains high levels of respect with all the court house personnel, especially judges and attorneys. Using a close hands-on personal approach and a keen understanding of all cultures, helps people when they need it most. Add me to your G+ View all posts by Paul Schuder

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The content in our blog articles is for general information purposes only and should not be used in the place of legal advice. PCS Bail Bonds strives to provide content that is accurate and timely as of the date of writing; however, we assume no legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, timeliness or usefulness of any information in the articles.

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